Email Signature, ‘C’mon What’s Wrong With Love?

For sometime now I have been ‘signing off’ in my email signatures, blog posts, correspondence with the phrase ‘Love and best wishes’…recently I was chatting with a couple of friends who said, ready…?

‘You shouldn’t use the word love in your email, people don’t know you and they will think it’s too informal, it’s not professional!’

Mmm, perhaps it’s not a huge point, but it has got me thinking.

In fact if anything, it’s got me thinking I should ditch the ‘best wishes’ part…but that’s for another post.

I’d ‘love’ to know your thoughts and what your sign off is, but first:

Well, let’s see, over the past five years you have read from me in emails:

• ‘Yours Sincerely’ (too formal – especially for me)
• ‘Kind Regards’ (I never ever liked that one, reminds me of solicitors letters)
• ‘In love and light’ (I think some of you ran a mile at that phrase, does suit a Reiki Practice though)
• ‘Have a Wonderful Day’ (I think I’d seen someone else use that one)
• ‘To Your Success’ (that was okay, I think?)

and I can’t believe I’m writing this one:

•  ‘Your Fiery Friend’ (that lasted about a day as I’m strawberry blond not a ginger, and I was just being a smart ass.)

There have been others I’ve spouted at you, but they are long gone from my memory (hopefully yours too…oh, and please don’t shame me by sending me reminders, delete all old emails from me, okay?)

But…love and best wishes…what do you think? Are our email signatures are reflection of who we are?

I love the word ‘love’…what’s wrong with love?

1. Too ‘touchy feely’?
2. Too ‘out there’?
3. Uncomfortable?
4. Overrated?
5. Underused?
6. World (still) not ready for it?
7. Too cheesy?

Here’s my thoughts, (and I’d love to know if you agree or disagree with me).

I’m in the business of personal and professional development, right?

Doesn’t all development start on the inside first?  Whatever way you look at it, does it not come back to ‘you ‘gotta love yourself first’!

So simple, and yet as human beings most of us stink at throwing love at where it’s needed most…which is our way.

Some days we love ourselves and other days well, need I say more, we can be our worst enemy; we can detest everything about ourselves, our life, our career, home, business…you name it.

But I repeat…generally, what is wrong with the word love?

Many of the people I’ve met and worked with, have been denied love, (and some from a very early age) personally, I find that sad and unacceptable.

Are we so scared of being loved that we now can’t even mention the word?

Has the word and world of love become so loaded with impersonal meaning and heavy duty baggage?

Is it one of ‘those’ words that even the mention of it triggers an unhappy thought and past experience? One of ‘those’ words that we notice people flinch at when they see it written or hear it said.

That’s sad.

As a fellow human being, I’ve decided (at least for the time being) to keep using it.

Why?

(Apart from still surviving the ‘fiery friend’ email signature) Because, in my opinion, if I can’t display and show you love what the hell am I doing here?

No, I don’t mean at a shallow level either…love to me is power.

Love is the unspoken language that makes enemies and strangers become friends.

Love is the complete opposite to hatred and fear.

Love is the positive regard I have for every other human being (and no, I never expect it back.)

Love is what fuels my passions, drives me forward and energises me to sit up and take notice.

Love to me is not just a basic human need but also a need for being human.

Love is not something that has to be fought over!

I mean can you imagine if the world you and I live in, were to wake up tomorrow morning and we were using phrases like ‘the love in Iraq’ the ‘March For Love’, ‘Love Rally’, ‘Weapons of Love’ or ‘Love Attacks’…that is not me being silly and unaware, I’m trying to explain that by the use of ONE word – a whole new way of thinking can appear.

Love can create change.

And for the comment not being professional?

Ah! That’s a good point…and that has been my ‘word’ to overcome.

My goal is to provide professional services.  It has taken me years to realise that I can do this better, not by staying at arms length from people, but getting right on down and ‘just being me’.

And yes, that involves loving what I’m doing and sharing it with you.

So, signing of with…

lots of love and best wishes

Dawn

PS What’s your email signature? Can you remember why you choose it?  Oh, and to display love in business or not, what do you think? Leave a comment below.